Players take control of a villager who is moving into a new town. Upon arrival, however, the player is mistaken for the town’s mayor and ends up being put in charge of the town instead of being merely a resident. Like previous games in the series, the game revolves around the player as they explore their town, talk with other residents, and participate in various activities such as fishing and bug catching. Doing various activities or selling various items earns Bells which players can use to purchase various items such as furniture or clothes, or pay towards loans used to renovate their house.